Friday, March 14, 2008
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Stoudemire, Suns Win 123-115

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[March 14, 2008]  PHOENIX (AP) -- Amare Stoudemire had 36 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots and the Phoenix Suns won their third in a row while snapping Golden State's three-game winning streak Thursday night with a 123-115 victory over the Warriors.

Steve Nash had 21 points -- including eight in a row in a big fourth-quarter stretch- and 13 assists. Raja Bell had 18 points, Boris Diaw 16 and Leandro Barbosa 14. Nash and Bell both were 4-of-6 on 3-pointers. The Suns made 12-of-24 3s, 7-of-12 in the second half.

Baron Davis scored 38, two shy of his career high, for the Warriors. Golden State had won three straight against Phoenix.

The Suns improved to 6-6 since Shaquille O'Neal joined their lineup to pull within a game of New Orleans for the No. 5 spot in the Western Conference. Golden State lost for only the second time in nine games to fall 1 1/2 games behind No. 7 Dallas and two games ahead of No. 9 Denver.

The Warriors, coming off a 117-106 victory over Toronto on Thursday night, fell to 9-6 on the second of back-to-back games.

O'Neal was in foul trouble most of the night, playing just 15 minutes. He had nine points and four rebounds.

Monta Ellis added 23 points on just 8-of-22 shooting for Golden State. Mickael Pietrus added 16 points.

The Suns shot 55 percent in the first half and still trailed 62-57 at the break, thanks largely to 12 turnovers that resulted in 15 points for the Warriors. The Suns committed only four turnovers in the second half.

The Suns were irritated by the officiating throughout, drawing four technicals, three in the first half. Coach Mike D'Antoni got one in the first quarter. Grant Hill and Nash drew one apiece in the second.

O'Neal got a technical after heaving the ball down the court after drawing his fifth foul with 5:19 left in the third quarter.

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Phoenix took control from long-range, going 5-for-7 on 3s in the third quarter, 3-of-4 by Bell.

His 3-pointer capped a 12-4 run to start the third quarter to put Phoenix ahead 69-66, then a 15-3 outburst gave the Suns a 93-79 lead on Barbosa's fastbreak layup following Stoudemire's blocked shot on Matt Barnes under the Golden State basket.

Stoudemire sealed it with six points, four on dunks, in the last 1 1/2 minutes.

Notes: Ellis had averaged 34 points and 64 percent shooting in the first two games against Phoenix this season. ... The Suns sent rookie Alando Tucker to Albuquerque of the developmental league. ... Phoenix has not lost four straight to the Warriors in 16 years. ... Gordan Giricek made his first two 3-pointers since coming to the Suns. He had been 0-for-6.

[Associated Press; By BOB BAUM]

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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